Friends of the Fishkill Supply Depot (fka Fishkill Historical Focus)

 5 (average of 56 hours per month)

 In 2005 and in direct response to the proposed development of lands found within an historic Revolutionary War encampment known as the Fishkill Supply Depot (FSD), Mara formed and led an ad hoc group of preservation and history-minded Dutchess residents in advocating for the protection and future interpretation of the remaining, undisturbed and undeveloped lands. Almost unilaterally and with no formal training, Mara began to lobby federal, state, and local officials and make contacts with other persons of influence to raise awareness of the FSD issue and press for getting the existing, available FSD lands off the market.

 Through her own research, Mara became aware of historical accounts that suggested the existence of a Continental Army burial complex in one specific area of a property for sale. As such, Mara's (and the group's) immediate goal was to stave-off the proposed commercial development of that site until proper archaeological excavation and historical research were performed. Due directly to Mara's efforts and the advocacy of the Fishkill Historical Focus, professional exploration of the alleged burial site was performed in late 2007, resulting in the discovery of seven (7) individual graves; later, a final report indicated the likely existence of hundreds of graves in that same area. On the heels of the successful exploratory dig of 2007 (which halted the proposed development), Mara and her group carried the fight further. By 2009, Mara's preservation advocacy had caught the attention of U.S. Senator (NY-D) Chuck Schumer, who visited Fishkill and publicly pledged to support the preservation of the FSD. Associated Press coverage, Mara testifying before the U.S. Congress, and an article in Hudson Valley magazine soon followed. By the end of 2009, Mara's original group, Fishkill Historical Focus, was re-named the Friends of the Fishkill Supply Depot and formally organized as a not-for-profit corporation in New York State with a full Board of Trustees, separate Advisory Board, and over three hundred "friends." In February 2010, Mara, then president of the Friends of the Fishkill Supply Depot, stepped-down and ascended to the position of Advisory Board member.

 Without Mara's vision, tenacity, and personal courage in the face of powerful forces supporting commercial development, the future preservation of remaining FSD lands would not even be a possibility. Mara's efforts have galvanized past/present residents of Southern Dutchess into a common voice that wishes to see that fallen Revolutionary War soldiers and their historic lands are properly honored once and for all.

 A long-time Fishkill resident, local professional, and upstart preservationist, Mara embodies the Spirit of Dutchess County as evidenced through her personal sacrifice, tireless advocacy, and overall dedication to a cause of national and historic significance.

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